Pagliacci, an opera in two acts with a prologue, by Ruggero Leoncavallo, follows in the fortunate wake of Cavalleria rusticana, which had paved the way for the strand of verismo theatre. The libretto, prepared by the composer himself, is based on a crime story, a crime of passion that really happened in Montalto Uffugo, the village in Calabria where the composer lived as a young man. Performed at the Teatro Dal Verme in Milan on 21 May 1892, under the baton of Toscanini, the opera achieved international fame in a very short time. The popular setting, where violent feelings are rendered by a convulsive vocalism, is the backdrop to the drama of jealousy of Canio, the head of an itinerant company. Thanks to the subtle narrative device of the theatre within the theatre, of real life consumed in the comedy performed on stage, Leoncavallo enhances the dramatic charge of the subject. The demon of jealousy that devours the protagonist, an unhappy man in reality and in fiction, cannot but lead him to the final catastrophe, with the heinous murder of his adulterous wife Nedda and her unfortunate lover.

Pagliacci / Cavalleria rusticana

Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Theatre

Puccini Madama Butterfly 2026

Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center

If any opera can break your heart, it surely is Madama Butterfly, the story of an innocent young Japanese girl, who — as her nickname foreshadows — is crushed by one of opera’s most callous cads, naval officer Lieutenant Pinkerton, who promises her a forever love. She is willing to give up her family and her religion to become a good “American” wife. From the ecstatic love duet on their wedding night, to the famous “humming chorus,” as she and her servant Suzuki await Pinkerton’s return, to the anguish of her suicide to preserve her honor — this deeply moving opera will resonate long after the last note has sounded. Performed by a star-studded cast of singers, orchestra and chorus, led by Luisi, a masterful opera conductor, Puccini’s Madama Butterfly is this season’s stunning opera in concert.

Manuela Custer

Events

Past events

Feb 22 - Mar 3, 2026

Pagliacci / Cavalleria rusticana · Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

9 - 11 Jan, 2026

Puccini Madama Butterfly 2026 · Dallas Symphony Chorus

Future and recently performed repertoire

suzuki in Madama Butterfly by Puccini

Dallas Symphony Orchestra

Suzuki (Alt. Cast) in Madama Butterfly by Puccini

Dallas Symphony Chorus

Mother Lucia in Cavalleria Rusticana by Mascagni

Opera Carlo Felice Genova

Singer in Haugtussa by Grieg

Opera Carlo Felice Genova

Lucia in Cavalleria rusticana by Mascagni

Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino

Singer in Teodora by Sibelius

Opera Carlo Felice Genova

Singer in Sånger vid havet by Nystroem

Opera Carlo Felice Genova

About

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